


The Holiday

by Wereallalittlemadhere



Category: Crimson Peak (2015)
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-23
Updated: 2020-02-23
Packaged: 2021-02-27 23:21:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,406
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22853881
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wereallalittlemadhere/pseuds/Wereallalittlemadhere
Summary: Allerdale Hall was not the serene holiday home she was told it would be. Her mother is oblivious. Her cat hisses and cowers at every shadow. Her little sister has an imaginary friend who may not have the best intentions. What was she to do?





	The Holiday

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone!  
> Here is my submission for Crimson Peak. I'm just trying out an idea that I've had in my head for a little while. If you guys like it let me know, if not then please leave some constructive criticism so I can improve!

She had hoped the landscape would be something more spectacular. Instead it was wild grass and thorny shrubbery, twisted trees reaching their skeletal branches towards the overcast sky. They were driving through a dead land. She cast her glance to her right. Her mother was focused on the grey and cracked road ahead of them. In the back seat her little sister slept soundly, head lolling against the large backrest of her booster seat. The cat was also fast asleep in its carrier. It had been her mother’s idea, all this; retreating to the little town that seemed to be forgotten by the rest of England. All the signs pointing them to the direction of said town, weathered away. Leaving their destination a complete mystery – to all but her mother of course. The plan was to spend some time in the country during the summer holidays, visit the nearby seaside for her little sister’s birthday, spend some more time in the country then off home again. It had all been meticulously planned out for months. One of her father’s work friends had been generous enough to loan them a summer house in the town. 

“When’s dad joining us again?” 

“He’ll be with us in about two weeks once he’s finished up with work. Means we’ll have some girly time before he gets here.” Her mother never once took her eyes off the road, 

“Why?”

“Was just asking. Doubt we’ll have much to do for girly time round here. It’s dead.”

“It’s not that dead Gwen, we aren’t even at the house yet. I think you’ll like it you know. Apparently it’s got some real character.”

Gwen didn’t much like the sound of that. It sounded like the house they were calling home for the next few weeks was a dilapidated box with no double-glazing or running hot water. Which, judging from the landscape of the surrounding area alone, would be an accurate assumption. Gwen turned her gaze to the road ahead of them, 

“Does that mean the place is too old to function?”

“No. Well it is old, but beautifully decorated apparently. There was a lot of effort put into resorting it years ago. Your dad’s friend says it’s haunted.”

She turned to look at her mother who was smiling to herself, still not looking at her eldest daughter. Eyes always on the road. 

“Why what’s happened?”

Her mother just shrugged, “I don’t know. He didn’t really say much other than that he hears footsteps every now and then. Once he heard a piano playing.”

“What’s so strange about that?”

“The house doesn’t have a piano. He said he heard it clear as day from the living room, but when he went inside it just stopped.” Gwen shivered at that,

“Stop! I’m just going to keep imagining that happening now.”

“It’s only a bit of fun,” she chuckled, but soon her shoulders tensed. She leaned over, voice hushed yet commanding, “Don’t say anything to Jess, I don’t want her being scared for the entire time we’re here.”

“Then why did you tell me?”

“I was only joking, but you know how easily scared your sister is.” 

“Yeah, I was planning on scratching on her bedroom door at night and telling her there’s a monster under her bed!”

“You’d better not Gwen!”

“I wasn’t going to! I was just winding you up for a change. Not nice is it? As if I would do that to her!”

“Alright calm down!” There was a tense silence in the car for the rest of the journey. Gwen knew that her mother was pulling her leg about the ghosts, but she could not help but feel a touch of excitement about the prospect of some unwanted house guests. It would make the trip more interesting surely. Around half an hour later, they had reached civilisation, albeit a small civilisation; it was a village rather than a town. It was quite beautiful, Gwen decided. Small, stone built houses with charming little rose gardens and winding narrow roads. The locals seemed friendly enough, smiling whilst they passed each other in the streets. It suddenly felt like a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders, spending the holidays here didn’t seem so bad. Her mother was mumbling under her breath, something about not being able to find the house,

“I thought you knew which house we were staying in?”

“Your dad only told me the name of it, but I don’t know what it looks like. I can’t see it anywhere.”

“We have a name rather than a number? Fancy. Just ask someone for directions.”

“You know, I think you’re right.” She mumbled again. Once her mother spotted the next unsuspecting pedestrian she pulled over and rolled down Gwen’s window. The young girl leaned back in her seat, allowing her mother to lean over and call to the man,

“Excuse me?” The man startled, looked to his right and after he had composed himself, leaned down so he could make eye contact with her mother,

“Ya’ alright miss?” 

“I’m fine thank you. I’m a bit lost, I was wondering if you could help me?”

“Aye, course. Where is it ya lookin’ for?”

“A house. It’s called Allerdale Hall.” He furrowed his brows in confusion,

“Ya sure that’s where ya’ meant to go?”

“Positive.”

“It’s just outside the village. What you do is you follow this road all the way out past the village, keep following it and it’ll be on the first left turn.” Her mother sighed, but smiled at the stranger,

“Alright. Thank you so much.”

“No problem. You take care now!” Her mother rolled the window up and started off down the road again, cursing her father and his lack of accurate directions. Gwen paid her no mind, instead looking at the reflection of the stranger in the wing mirror. His gaze was pinned to their car, shaking his head. Gwen thought it strange, he didn’t seem too keen on the idea of them going to this Hall place. She watched him until he disappeared out of sight around a bend, 

“Nice to know we aren’t even in the town.”

“Blame your father.” 

As soon as they left the village they encountered the same dead landscape. Except this time, the land was less barren, the trees still mangled but higher in abundance. They were in a woodland, 

“We are definitely in the middle of nowhere here.”

“I know. Just do me a favour Gwen, keep your eyes peeled for a turning.”

She did as instructed and not ten minutes later, she found one up ahead. She pointed it out to her mother who sighed in relief, flicked the indicator on, then turned onto the well-worn path. Either side of the road, the tall skeletal trees reached towards each other overhead, creating a sort of tunnel. The weight was beginning to push down on Gwen’s shoulders again, with so much force she sunk down in her seat. Where on earth were they staying? The feeling of trepidation only grew worse when they encountered a large iron gate. Above the gate, twisted weathered letters announced that they had reached their destination; Allerdale Hall. For once, her mother turned to her,

“Be a dear and open the gates would you?” Gwen shot her mother a wide-eyed look before nodding and complying, unbuckling her seat belt and exiting the car. She took her time walking towards the gate. The closer she got, the more details she noticed that made her want to retreat back to the village. The gates were twisted, hardly fitting with each other anymore except at the lock in the middle. The black paint was steadily chipping away and beyond the gate she could see the tunnel of trees carried on further. With a deep breath she pushed on the gates with all her might. They pushed inwards with a low rumbling groan. No one had been here in quite some time, or they had not done maintenance in quite some time at the very least. Gwen all but ran back to the car, not bothering with her seatbelt when she was fully seated. Her mother muttered her thanks and drove forward slowly. The tunnel stretched out for what seemed like an eternity, and with each passing moment the ball of anxiety in Gwen’s stomach twisted tighter and tighter until they finally came out the other side. The ball was pulled apart, the anxiety replaced with awe. 

Allerdale Hall, was as her mother said, filled with character. Its pointed gothic inspired towers dwarfed them; its large French windows gave nothing away of the dark interior of the house. House seemed too crude a word for Gwen, mansion was more accurate. There was a faint red hue to the stonework which made up the exterior. The grounds themselves were dead, much like the surrounding countryside, but the mansion more than made up for that with its beauty. Her mother pulled to a stop just before the stone steps, her face a show of the same awe Gwen was feeling, 

“I expected a little cottage in the village, not a whole manor house!”

“How rich is dad’s friend?”

“Fuck knows. Quite by the looks of this place. I’m betting we get lost.” Turning off the engine, her mother leaned over and took her handbag from Gwen’s foot well, “Come on, you wake your sister up and get the cat, I’ll get the suitcases.” She quickly left the car and Gwen followed suit. Whilst her mother busied herself with opening the boot, Gwen opened the back door to the car and reached in to take Merlin’s carrier. The cat jolted at the sudden movement but laid his head back down once he was set on the ground. Climbing over the back seat, Gwen shook Jessica’s leg, her little sister reluctantly woke, rubbing her eyes as her elder sister unbuckled her from the booster seat,

“Come on sleepy head, get up we’re here.” Lifting Jess under her arms she pulled the younger girl out of the car and set her on the ground facing the house, “Look at where we’re staying! We’re staying in a mansion!” Jess quickly perked up, her mouth wide with excitement as she jumped up and down. Gwen shut the car door just as her mother had finished with the suitcases,

“Gwen, grab one of these would you?” She asked as she locked the car. Gwen quickly picked up Merlin’s carrier and one of the larger suitcases. The family made their way up the stone steps, and after a slight fumble with the unfamiliar keys, pushed the doors open with an echoing creak. 

Jess ran straight into the large foyer, her senses overwhelmed by the cavernous space. Gwen wandered in, followed by her mother. The foyer was dark, but she could see that the same gothic architecture was present inside. There was a musty smell, strong and unpleasant. Her earlier suspicions had been right, no one had been there in a long time. Her mother sighed, 

“We’re definitely going to get lost. Right I’m going to turn on all the lights down here, Gwen can you go upstairs and do the same? Just turn on the landing lights, last thing we need is to break our necks on the stairs.”

“Alright, what should I do with Merlin?” She lifted the carrier. Merlin was no longer curled in a ball, instead he was staring with a fierce intensity at the upper landings of the foyer. Gwen looked in the same direction, but nothing was there, just shadows. The awe from earlier was quickly replaced with trepidation again. Allerdale Hall looked more inviting from the outside. 

“Just leave him here in the carrier for now. I’m starting to think it was a mistake bringing him now. Jessica, you coming with me or are you going with Guinevere?” 

“I’ll go with Gwen!” The young girl shouted, quickly bounding up the stairs,

“Wait for me Jess!”, Gwen quickly set Merlin’s carrier down and raced up the stairs to the first landing. She used what little light was shining through the windows as she searched the wall for a switch whilst Jess quickly rushed up the next flight of stairs, her excitement overcoming her. 

“Jess! Come down here! You might get hurt!” Feeling along the wall Gwen suddenly felt a switch and flicked it, the wall lights flickering on across the entire landing with a weak orange glow. Still, it was better than nothing. Being able to see better, Gwen noticed the architecture inside was much less inviting. The corridors adjoining the landing were decorated with sharp wooden spikes protruding from the overhead woodwork. Not wanting to linger, she quickly raced up the next stairs to do the same and find her sister. She found the light switch quicker this time, yet there was no sign of Jess. 

“Jess, where are you?” She called. Gwen walked along the landing, looking over the railing to the ground below. She was quite high up, she mused that if she fell over the railing she most certainly would die. Perhaps it was best none of them ventured this high. Gwen quickly redoubled her efforts, wandering from the landing down one of the numerous corridors,

“Jess! Come here now!” She shouted. After wandering down another corridor, she heard what sounded like giggling. Jess. She followed the sound, running down what seemed like endless corridors until she found Jess standing, giggling in front of an open doorway. Breathing a sigh of relief, Gwen pushed forward and grabbed Jess by the shoulders, pulling the young girl to her body, 

“Don’t run off like that again please Jess.” Peering into the room, using the light of the landing she saw that the room was a dusty old workshop. Furrowing her brows, she closed the door and made her way back down the stairs, Jess in hand,

“What were you laughing at?” She asked as they made their way down to the first landing,

“I was laughing at my friend, he told me I was a pretty girl.” Gwen furrowed her brows again. There wasn’t anyone in that room when she looked. 

“What friend? There was no one there.”

“Yes there was! There was a man!” Gwen assumed that Jess had created herself a new imaginary friend, 

“What’s your friend’s name?” She asked, deciding to humour her sister, 

“He said his name was Thomas.”


End file.
